TWO ISLANDS, and I choose the one less travelled by

Just walking around from gallery to bookstore in the cool evening with the Kitty is reason enough to be here. I don't think I will ever be able to spend a hot humid summer in Sarasota again. I'm not sure if this is "the" place, though it sure is one of the places, including Aspen, North Carolina, and maybe some other mountainous locale. There is no Rocky Mountain High here since the highest point on the island is 200 feet above sea level. There is the smell of the Ocean, and the island way of life with all its inconveniences but more of its charm. The weekend has begun and the tourists are arriving.

There are two islands coexisting...one of them is the remnant of the old whaling village with its 200 year old houses, quiet streets, and yankees (not the baseball team) walking their dogs. The other island has throngs of people pouring off the ferry like ants at a picnic. Dragging their roll-aboards behind them, they make their way through town to their lodging. Not too many teeny-boppers among them, mostly families with young children and lots of college-age kids in herds buying beer and hustling to somewhere. These two worlds clash at some level but generally, as in most tourist destinations, the locals understand that the Whales are gone and the only industry on the island involves being nice and providing entertainment to people who have picked this destination out of all others to have fun. It's all here... bikes, scooters, jeeps, an ice cream store, T-shirt shops, and many places to eat, within 100 yards of the Ferry Dock. It's a short walk or ride to several beaches and on a few of them you can even drive your jeep on the sand. The whole island is only 5 miles wide and 15 miles long. Even when it is filled to the brim, you can find places to be alone in the cool breezes and sunshine, just not within 100 yards of the Ferry Dock.